Unified interface for voice, text or picture message authoring

ABSTRACT

A unified messaging interface and associated methods that enables mobile communication device users to initiate the creation of a message for a recipient without being required to explicitly specify the type of message that is to be created. The mobile communication device supports multiple message types, such as voice, text, and picture messages. The user begins providing message content to the communication device by, for example, speaking, entering text, or clicking a shutter of a camera. The unified messaging interface detects the nature of the content and creates a corresponding type of message. The user can indicate a desire to create and send a message by performing “one-click” action. The one-click action is an operation performed on the device that can be instantiated as a single button-press on the keypad; selection of a single soft key by depressing a button on the keypad or touching the screen of the device; or issuance of a single voice command.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/007,700, filed Oct. 20, 2004, which is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/661,033,filed Sep. 12, 2003. The foregoing patent applications are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an application for authoring a voice ortext message on a communications device. More specifically, the presentinvention relates to a unified authoring interface for a communicationdevice that allows both audio and text input without the user explicitlyselecting the mode of communication, such that delivery of the messagecan then be optimized.

2. The Relevant Technology

The popularity of all types of communication devices, such as mobiletelephones and telephony-enabled personal digital assistants (PDAs) isundeniable. In addition to circuit-switched and packet-switched voicesessions, numerous messaging applications, such as Email, Short MessageService (SMS) messages, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages, andInstant Messaging (IM) are available today on a wide variety of mobilecommunication devices. Also, services that assist users with informationand updates, such as stock quotes, news alerts and driving directions,or services that improve personal productivity or provide customerservices, can all be accessed and engaged via mobile communicationdevices. Furthermore, applications and services that deliver mediacontent or other types of entertainment and are accessible via mobilecommunication devices are increasingly popular.

While applications and services that can be accessed via a mobile devicedeliver significant value to users, enhanced messaging services and thelarge modality of different ways of communicating (picture messaging,voice messaging, text messaging) have made these devices morecomplicated, inhibiting their use. It is well known in the art of userinterface design that each additional step required for a user to reachan objective diminishes the chance the user will complete the task.

Mobile phones started out as very simple devices from a usabilitystandpoint. The user merely entered the number and pushed the TALKkey—an experience familiar to almost everyone. With the advent of SMSMessaging, the user could leave a text message for another user with amobile phone. This additional option of authoring and sending a textmessage is now well understood and widely adopted in the mobile phoneindustry. Over the past few years, additional services have beenintroduced to allow users to author audio messages or picture messagesand exchange them with other users. These technologies are seeingbroader adoption, but the interface for selecting between messagingtechnologies is now much more complicated, which restricts their use.

To allow the user to choose between these various options, thecommunications devices have become much more complicated. Instead ofsimply selecting a recipient and selecting “message” rather than “talk”,the user must now select what kind of message is to be sent: a text,audio, or picture message. This is typically done from a menu, sincedevices do not have dedicated keys for these operations. This hasincreased the complexity of messaging from one key press to two or more,a 100% or more increase in complexity. In many situations, and forfrequent users who desire “rapid-fire” communications, this extrakey-press inhibits use.

These new technologies have introduced the richness of communicatingthrough a wide variety of means at the expense of simplicity. What isneeded is a user interface that retains access to the richcommunications without the added complexity of additional keys or buttonclicks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for authoring amessage on a communications device through a simplified interface thatuses the actions of the user, rather than explicit user instruction, toauthor a message and determine the appropriate means for delivery ofthat message.

According to one aspect of the invention, the message sender chooses arecipient from a contacts list, and then selects a “Send Message” key.The device then presents an interface that allows the user to startrecording to author an audio message, start typing to author a textmessage, or press the camera shutter button to author a picture message.If the user takes no action, an audio message is recorded. If the usertypes in text characters, a text message is authored, and if the userclicks the shutter, a picture message is created. The delivery of theresulting messages is performed as soon as the “SEND” key is pressed.

Thus, this aspect of the present invention permits users to easilycreate text messages, record and transmit instant voice messages, ortake and send a picture all from the same user interface to anyrecipient with just “one-click” on a mobile device.

The “one-click” action to launch the unified user interface can bephysically performed on the device, such as a single button-press on thekeypad of the mobile device, selection of a single soft key by using abutton on the keypad, or by touching the screen of the device, or it cantake the form of an articulated command.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. Thefeatures and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained bymeans of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out inthe appended claims. These and other features of the present inventionwill become more fully apparent from the following description andappended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention asset forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the manner in which the advantages and features of theinvention are obtained, a particular description of the invention willbe rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawingsdepict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not, thereforeintended to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will bedescribed and explained with additional specificity and detail throughthe use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless network in which thevoice messaging systems of the invention can be practiced.

FIG. 2-4 are sample screens illustrating how the user interface of theunified messaging interface can appear. FIG. 2 shows the selection of arecipient. FIG. 3 shows the unified authoring interface including voiceand text. FIG. 4 shows the screen that is displayed when the user startstyping on the keyboard to enter text.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to one embodimentof the invention by which a unified authoring interface permits a senderto create a voice message, a text message, or a picture message.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to systems and methods to streamlinethe user interface on wireless communication devices for the purpose ofauthoring messages.

I. Operating Environments Within Wireless Communication Systems

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a wirelesscommunication system in which the invention can be practiced. Wirelesscommunication system 100 includes a sender device 102 that is used tocreate and transmit a message that is addressed to a recipient wirelessstation 104. Sender device 102 can be a wireless or mobile telephone, aconventional wired telephone, or any other telephony device. In general,sender device 102 can be any device that is capable of receiving andcapturing audio data that forms the body of the voice message andaddressing information that identifies the recipient or the recipientwireless station 104 associated with the recipient. Instead of being adedicated telephony device, sender device 102 can also be a personalcomputer or other computing devices having the foregoing capabilities.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, sender device 102 communicates with amessage server 106 using wireless network 108. In general, however,sender device 102 can communicate with message server 106 using anysuitable communication network or mechanism, another example of which isthe Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Message server 106 is acomputer system that routes the message and performs the otheroperations described herein. It should be understood that the inventioncan be implemented in many types of network environments and variousnetwork architectures are applicable. In one embodiment, the messageserver 106 and the associated SMS blade 112 reside in a wirelessoperator's network infrastructure. In another embodiment, the messageserver 106 and the SMS blade 112 reside outside the domain of a wirelessoperator's infrastructure, and may be hosted, for example, by anindependent hosting entity, such as an application service provider.Alternately, the message server 106 and the associated SMS blade 112 canreside behind a corporate firewall.

Additional details of the wireless communication system 100 of FIG. 1are included in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/007,700, filed Dec.8, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. Although thewireless communication system 100 of FIG. 1 provide a suitable operatingenvironment for the use of unified messaging interfaces and associatedmethods of the invention, the invention can also be practiced in avariety of other wireless communication systems that support thecreation and transmission of different types of electronic messages.

II. Unified Messaging Interface

Now described in reference to FIGS. 2 through 4 is an example of themethods of the invention by which a message is authored using theUnified Messaging Interface. In FIG. 2, a sender selects the “Message”soft key 201 from the contact list 202 of a Sender Device. According tothe invention, the service request to author a message can be created atthe Sender Device 102 using any of a variety of possible“one-click”-enabled user interfaces and procedures. In this example, theinterface of the wireless service installed on the device employs amethod whereby the sender issues a spoken “single voice-command,” inlieu of a single click of a soft key, a button, or a key on a keypad, toexecute the request. The term “one-click”, as used herein, extends toany user input operation or event that requires only a single actionfrom the user, and is not limited to clicking a button. The single voicecommand and pressing a single button or key once on a keypad, andpressing a soft key once, are non-limiting examples of a “one-click”action.

In FIG. 3, in response to the Unified Messaging Interface invocation,Sender Device 102 transitions to a mode in which it assists the senderin the process of composing the message. Immediately the device beginsrecording audio with the assumption that the user wants to send a voicemessage as shown by element 302 of the interface. At any time, the usercan start typing, also known as “triple-tapping,” to author a textrather than voice message as prompted by element 304 of the interface.In this case, the voice recording is discarded and the screen 402 inFIG. 4 is displayed, allowing the user to enter the text message. At anytime in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the user can press then “Send Voice” soft key306 or “Send Text” soft key 406, and the message will be delivered tothe recipient previously selected. The Sending Device then submits therequest to the wireless service, which can be carried out usingconventional methods.

In the foregoing manner, voice or text messages can be quickly authoredwith a unified authoring interface with “one-click” access on a senderdevice. Alternately, the Unified Messaging Interface can provide asingle interface for composing and sending a picture message in additionto voice and text messages. In particular, the option of creating andsending a picture message can be provided by the Unified MessagingInterface with a key that initiates that mode. In general, theprinciples of the invention, which include detecting the action of theuser as the process of creating a message is initiated, can be extendedto substantially any combination of two or more different types ofmessages, including those that exist now (e.g., text, voice, picture)and those that will be developed in the future.

III. Examples of Use of Unified Messaging Interface

While embodiments of the invention are described in detail herein, theinvention can be further illustrated by presenting specific examples ofthe efficiency gained using the methods of the Unified AuthoringEnvironment. It is noted that the following example is presented only toillustrate the invention, and the specific implementation describedhereinafter does not limit the scope of the invention.

According to a first example, the user selects the recipient from hermobile phone contact list, and clicks on a soft key to invoke theUnified Authoring Interface. She begins to speak her message and whendone, presses the “send” key. Alternatively the user could hold themessage key while speaking, and upon letting go the message is sent.This removes another user action from the system, further simplifyingthe interface. Using this technique, the user has authored an audiomessage with one (if the button is held while speaking) or two clicks(one to begin, and one to end/send).

Similarly, if the user were to desire to send a text message, she wouldstart to “triple-tap” on the keyboard to create the message rather thanto start speaking into the device. When she is done, she would press thesend key.

According to a second example illustrated in FIG. 5, the user providesinput that indicates that the process of creating and sending a messageis to begin (step 502). According to this example, the wirelesscommunication device, in response to the user input, begins making anaudio recording (step 504) of any voice content that is received afterthe user input. If the voice content is completely received (decision506) the received voice content is used in a voice message (step 508).If text the user enters text to the wireless communication device afterthe voice content is completely received and before the voice message istransmitted (decision 510), the entered text is used to create a titlefor the voice message (512). In either case, the wireless communicationdevice then initiates transmission of the voice message (step 514).

If the user instead begins entering text to the wireless communicationdevice before voice content is received or before a full amount of voicecontent is completely received (decision 516), the unified authoringinterface of the invention recognizes the fact that text has beenentered and initiates creation of and sends a text message thatincorporates the entered text (step 518).

Optionally, this example can also extend to the use of a wireless devicethat has camera capabilities. In this case, the user can activate thecamera shutter prior to completion of a voice message. If the wirelesscommunication device detects activation of the camera shutter prior tothe creation of a complete voice message (decision 520), the unifiedauthoring interface of the invention initiates creation of a picturemessage using the picture that has been obtained by the wirelesscommunication device. The wireless communication device then transmitsthe picture message to the recipient (step 522).

As these examples show, the decision of whether to send a voice message,a text message, or another type of message (e.g., a picture message) ismade implicitly by the system based on the user actions. In this way,the system is simplified from traditional mobile phone message authoringsolutions.

IV. Telecommunication Devices and Computing Environments

Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in connectionwith a special purpose or general purpose telecommunications device,including wireless telephones and other telephony-enabled mobiledevices, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, or other mobilespecial purpose or general purpose computers that are adapted to havetelecommunications or data networking capabilities. Embodiments withinthe scope of the present invention also include computer-readable mediafor carrying or having computer-executable instructions or electroniccontent structures stored thereon, and these terms are defined to extendto any such media or instructions that are used with telecommunicationsdevices.

By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media cancomprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any othermedium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in theform of computer-executable instructions or electronic contentstructures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or specialpurpose computer, or other computing device.

When information is transferred or provided over a network or anothercommunications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combinationof hardwired or wireless) to a computer or computing device, thecomputer or computing device properly views the connection as acomputer-readable medium. Thus, any such a connection is properly termeda computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also beincluded within the scope of computer-readable media.Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions andcontent which cause a general purpose computer, special purposecomputer, special purpose processing device or computing device toperform a certain function or group of functions.

Although not required, aspects of the invention have been describedherein in the general context of computer-executable instructions, suchas program modules, being executed by computers in network environments.Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects,components, and content structures that perform particular tasks orimplement particular abstract content types. Computer-executableinstructions, associated content structures, and program modulesrepresent examples of program code for executing aspects of the methodsdisclosed herein.

The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only asexemplary and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore,indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription. All changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. In a wireless communication system in which messages can be createdand transmitted to recipients, a method for initiating transmission of amessage using a unified messaging interface, comprising: at a wirelesscommunication device that is associated with a sender and is capable ofcreating messages of more than one type, including at least a firstmessage type and a second message type: receiving user input indicatingthat the user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient;and receiving, from the user, content to be included in the message,wherein the content is adapted for use in only one of the first messagetype and the second message type; detecting the content and identifyingthe message type for which the content is adapted to be used; and inresponse to identifying the message type, creating the message, whereinthe message has the identified message type.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the user input does not specify the message type of the messagethat is to be created.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user inputindicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to arecipient is generated in response to a one-click action of the user. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein: the first message type is associatedwith voice messages; and the second message type is associated with textmessages.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first message type isassociated with voice messages; and the second message type isassociated with picture messages.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein: thefirst message type is associated with text messages; and the secondmessage type is associated with picture messages.
 7. The method of claim1, wherein: the wireless communication device is capable of creatingmessages of at least three types, including at least the first messagetype, the second message type, and a third message type; and and thecontent received from the user is adapted for use in only one of thefirst message type, the second message type, and the third message type.8. The method of claim 7, wherein: the first message type is associatedwith voice messages; the second message type is associated with textmessages; and the third message type is associated with picturemessages.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein: receiving content to beincluded in the message includes receiving voice input from the user;and creating the message includes creating a voice message that has thevoice input as content.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein: receivingcontent to be included in the message includes receiving text input fromthe user; and creating the message includes creating a text message thathas the text input as content.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein:receiving content to be included in the message includes receivingpicture input from the user; and creating the message includes creatinga picture message that has the picture input as content.
 12. The methodof claim 1, further comprising, after creating the message, initiatingtransmission of the message to a recipient.
 13. The method of claim 1,wherein initiating transmission of the message to the recipient isperformed without requiring additional input from the user after themessage is created.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user inputindicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to arecipient comprises selection by the user of a recipient from a contactslist.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein: the user input indicating thatthe user will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient isgenerated in response to the user depressing a key of the wirelesscommunication device; and the method further comprises, after creatingthe message, initiating transmission of the message to a recipient inresponse to the user again depressing the key of the wirelesscommunication device.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein: the user inputindicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to arecipient is generated in response to the user depressing a key of thewireless communication device; the user continues to depress the key ofthe wireless communication device as the wireless device receives thecontent to be included in the message; and the method further comprises,after creating the message, initiating transmission of the message to arecipient in response to the user releasing the key of the wirelesscommunication device.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user inputindicating that the user will create a message that is to be sent to arecipient comprises a voice command.
 18. In a wireless communicationdevice that operates in a wireless communication system in whichmessages can be created and transmitted to recipients, a method forinitiating transmission of a message using a unified messaginginterface, comprising: in response to user input indicating that theuser will create a message that is to be sent to a recipient, initiatingrecording that can be used with a voice message; if the user providesvoice content and the voice content is completely received, initiatingtransmission of the voice message after the voice content is completelyreceived; and if the user enters text to the wireless communicationdevice before the voice content is completely received: creating a textmessage rather than a voice message, wherein the text message includescontent associated with the entered text; and initiating transmission ofthe text message.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein, if the useractivates a camera shutter of the wireless communication device beforethe voice content is completely received: creating a picture messagerather than a voice message, wherein the picture message includescontent associated with a picture taken by the wireless communicationdevice; and initiating transmission of the picture message.
 20. Themethod of claim 18, wherein, if the user enters text to the wirelesscommunication device after the voice content is completely received andbefore transmission of the voice message is initiated, creating a titleof the message that includes the entered text.